Apparatus for casting sheet metal



Dec. 28 1926.

1 1,611,911 C. W. HAZELETT v APPARATUS FOR CASTING SHEET METAL Fil Feb. 20, 1925 3 Sheet's-Sheet 1 6o II I 62 H I I I I IIIIIIIJIIIIIIHL-i; 21. I I T [0961101101011 @91 90 L ---------1 IQI Dec. 28. 1926. 1,611,911

' C; W. HAZELETT APPARATUS FOR CASTING SHEET METAL Filed Feb- 20, 1925 s Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Dec. 28, 1926.

UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE W. HAZELETT, 01 LAKEWOOD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE HAZELETT STOR- AGE BATTERY COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

APPARATUS FOR CASTING SHEET METAL.

Application filed February 20, 192 5.

This invention relates to machines for casting metal and particularly to the type of machine disclosed in my application Serial No. $23,309, filed November 11th, 1920.

The general object of my present invention is to provide a novel rotary casting drum and a cooperating pouring box or gate having special features of construction directed to effecting the presentation of the moulten metal to the molding surface of the drum While maintaining the thermal condition of the metal uniform transversely of the drum.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a novel drum construction for use in machines of the character herein referred to, which construction is directed to facilitating the maintenance of aurapid and uniform heat transfer from the moulten metal being formed in sheets on the surface of the drum to a cooling medium within the drum. A still further object of my invention is the provision of a casting pot construction which is directed to the transfer of heat from the exterior of the pot to the bottom inaccessible surface thereof, whereby such surface may be maintained at a temperature which is above the critical temperature of the metal being cast.

Other objects of my invention will hereinafter be set forth in the following descrip tion which refers to the accompanying drawings, illustrating a preferred form thereof. The essential characteristics are summarized in the claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a sheet casting machine embodying the features of my invention; Fig. 2 is a trans verse cross-sectional View taken vertically through the axis of the casting drum; Fig. 3 is a plan view of a metal pouring pot or distributing vessel which directs the metal evenly to the drum surface; Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken through a portion of the drum and of the cooperating pouring pot; Fig. 5 is an en larged cross-sectional detail of the drum axle.

Extensive experimenting with the type of machine disclosed in my earlier application has proven that while the operating principles of such a machine are substantially .correct, and that a machine conforming to the construction disclosed therein may be op- Serial No. 10,489.

which arose during the use of the .machine and to which variations and defects in the sheet metal being cast were attributable. For instance, when a wide thin sheet of metal was being cast, the machine would op crate for a period of time in a successful manner until an incoming charge of moulten metal would upset the thermal relationship between the surfaces of the casting box and the rotating drum, thus causing the metal to remain in a plastic condition for a longer period of time at the center of the moving sheet, While the side portions of the sheet would prematurely cool. The machine would thus fail to cast a full width sheet.

Inbalancing these conditions, particularly.

when the metal in the pot was fed to the drum surface at such temperature that it could be expressed by the drum with the central portion properly formed, the side portion of the sheets would be so reduced in temperature as to completely defeat the successful operation of the machine. Particles.

of the metal being cast would also accumulate on the bottom casting surface of the pot, producing longitudinal scores in the sheet being cast.

My invention therefore contemplates the use of a metal pot having the general characteristics of the pot construction disclosed in my prior application but having features of construction which are directed to maintaining a proper casting temperature of the metal as it is being fed to the drum in a uniform manner and I overcome the amalgamating tendencies of the metal being cast by constructing the drum of a phosphorous bronze alloy. p

I find that thermal conditions of the molten metal may be controlled in an advantaor heat transferring capacity of the drum wall, and particularly that portion of the drum wall which is immediately adjacent the under surface of the casting pot.

In Fig. 1 f the drawings I show a rotary casting machine, the drum and casting pot of which embody the foregoing characteristics. The drum is mounted upon a hollow axle 11 supported by suitable bearings resting on side frame members 12 and 13 as will be hereinafter described. The frame .members 12 and 13 may be mounted upona suitable base 14 which may also support a motor 1 5. The shaft 'of the motor is provided with a worm 16 in driving relation to a worm wheel 18 suitably mounted on a projecting end of a driving sleeve 20 which is flanged at its inner end, as shown at 21, to afford attachment to a side-plate 23 of the drum. The opposite end of the drum is provided with a similar plate 24 comprlsmg an imperforate end wall and the latter is attached to a flanged sleeve 28 which is supported by the axle v11. Bearing portions 26 and 27 are .formed upon the side members 12 and 13,'in the convenient manner shown,

and the axle 11 is maintained in a 'nonrotating relation to the side frames 12 and 13 by a key member 28 which is attached to the bearing portion 26 of the side frame 12. The top portions of the side frame members 12 and 13 are shaped to constitute pedestals for supporting a pouring gate or pot 36 which maybe swingably mounted upon the side frame members in a position directly over the axis of the drum. These side frame members may be also reinforced at the top by a laterally extending bracing member 34.

The casting pot is preferably of the form shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and comprise a cross shaped member having bifurcated end lugs 41 and 42 which are engaged by nuts 43 mounted upon laterally swingable eye bolts 44, the latter being suitably mounted on pins 45 positioned in the upper portion of the side frame members. A hinge mounting for the pot whereby it may be swung clear of the drum surface may comprise a transverse bar 50 suitably mounted on the upper portion of the side frame members. This bar extends through bifurcated rearwardly extending lugs 52 formed on the rear wall of the casting pct 36. Plate members 53 are secured to the lugs and carry adjusting means in the form of set screws 54 for firmly engaging the bar 50 to suspend the pot in any eslred position. A. rest 72 may be attached to the pot but rests on the drum and constitutes a gauge for determining the thickness of the sheet metal being cast.

As shown in Fig. 1, a metal melting pot 60 is positioned above the casting pot whereby the molten metal may flom from the bottom thereof through a tube 62 into the reservoir of the casting pot. Suitable heat supplying means such as a burner 63 is provided to maintain the metal supply 1n a molten condition.

The particular pot construction whereby I maintain a uniform thermal conditioning of the metal while it flows to the casting surface of the drum comprises locating the gate or casting slot 65, extending from the pot reservoir or cavity to the moving surface of the drum, in such position that the bottom wall of the pot may be maintained at a temperature which is higher than the critical temperature of the metal being cast. As shown in Fig. 4, the gate 65 extends longitudinally of the pot and transversely of the drum and it is located adjacent the rear wall 66 of the casting pot. The fore part 67 of the bottom wall of the pot is considerably thinner than the rear portion 68 through which the slot extends since it is only desired to maintain the arcuate portion 69 of the undersurface of the pot wall within a definite temperature range. The pot is provided with a transverse slot 70 formed in the under face thereof, into which may extend the flanged end 71 of the spacing member or mat 72 disposed between the pot and the drum. The thickness of the spacing member determines the thickness and width of the metal to be cast and such member has forwardly extending portions 73 projecting from beneath the pot which define the side margins of the sheet metal being cast. The forward wall of the pot may be provided with a shelf 80 forming a trough into which the molten metal escaping from the supply pot 60 through the tube 62 discharges. The trough extends from end wall to end wall of .the pot and serves to maintain a uniform distribution of the incoming hot metal throughout the volume of molten metal bath present in the pot. Extending inwardly and downwardly to the bottom wall of the pot from other than the molten metal and I accordingly provide exteriorly formed ribs projecting outwardly from the forward wall to which I apply heat from a burner line 85.

.These ribs are preferably longer at the sides than'atthe central portion of the forward pot wall, inasmuch as it is desired to apply more heat to the ends of the pot than to the middle thereof since the incoming metal is 'nal heat through the pot ribs.

discharged at the middle.

The cylindrical member 30 of the drum may have the interior thereof provided with ribs or convolutions of ridges 31 preferably spirally formed. These ribs serve the double purpose of reinforcing the drum wall and to increase the heat radiating or transferring surfaces of the interior of the drum. The interior of the drum receives a cooling medium through a connecting line 90 communicating with a passageway 91 formed in the axle member 11. This passageway communicates with downwardly extending radial discharge passageways 92 at the opposite end of the axle. A discharge passageway 94 is provided which is controlled by the valve member 95.

In Fig. 3, I show a modified form of axle construction wherein I provide an inner adjustable sleeve 100 disposed within the axle member 11. The sleeve is provided with a series of perforations 101 adapted to register with discharge passageways 102 formed in the member 11, which passageways may be controlled from the exterior of the drum by manipulating a handle or pin 102 to turn the sleeve relative to the axle. I

The foregoing described metal casting machine has been operated with a high degree of efficiency and the product is of -a uniform character in that the absence of blisters and variations in the cross section is due to the fact that the metal in the pot is being uniformly and constantly mixed with the hotter incoming metal discharged from the reservoir pot and if desired by exter- The metal as soon as it flows through the slot has a tendency toimmediately solidify but by reason of the thin wall construction of the pot bottom and the heat conductivity of the ribs 81, the upper portion of the cross section of metal sheet being cast is maintained in a semi-plastic condition mtil it passes entirely from beneath the bottom surface of the pot, whereupon the metal will sufficiently solidify from the drum surface outwardly as it is moved by the drum and the sheet structure is maintained without any resulting variation in the cross-section of the tion of the sheet being formed. The construction disclosed herein while being arrived at after considerable experimenting, nevertheless is extremely simple in character and such a machine requires no unusual skill on the part of the operator when once placed in operation.

J I claim:

1. In a machine of the character described a rotary casting drum, a metal pot maintained in cooperative molding relation with the casting surface of the drum and means to heat said pot, said pot and drum having ribs formed interiorly thereof.

2. In a machine ofthe character described a rotary casting drum, a metal pot maintained in contact with the casting surface of the drum and means to heat said pot, said pot having heat conducting ribs formed interiorly thereof.

5. In a rotary casting machine of the,

character described,-the combination of a rotating drum, a casting pot having the undersurface thereof concentric to the casting surface of the drum, said pot and drum having heat conducting means adjacent the cooperating surfaces thereof.

6. In a sheet casting machine of the character described, a rotary casting drum, means for rotating the drum, a metal casting pot suspended with the undersurface of the pot in cooperative metal casting relation to the drum surface, said pot having a narrow slot formed in thebottom thereof extending transversely of the drum surface with the metal inlet end of said slot extending above the interior bottom surface of the pot.

7. In a rotary casting machine of the character described, the combination of a rotating drum adapted to have molten metal discharge onto the circumferential surface thereof, a metal casting pot suspended in cooperative casting relation with said drum surface, the bottom wallof the pot having a transverse slot formed'therein in a thickened portion thereof whereby a molten metal charge will extendv below the inlet end of the slot.

8. In a rotary casting machine of the character described, a casting pot having the bottom surface thereof formed to constitute a stationary casting surface adapted to cooperate with a cylindrical surface of a rotating drum, and to define the thickness of a sheet of metal to be cast, said pot having a plurality of ribs extending from the bottom wall of the pot upwardly into the interior cavity of the pot and exteriorly disposed heat conducting ribs formed adjacent said interior ribs.

9. In a metal casting machine of the character described the combination of a ro-' tating drum, a metal casting pot suspended in metal casting relation'with the cylindrical surface of the drum and frame members supporting the drum and pot in such relation, said drum comprising a cylindrical member having the interior thereof provided with circumferentially extending ribs and said cylindrical member being attached to end disc members inperforately formed, said casting pot having ribs formed interiorly and projecting from the bottom wall thereof.

10. In a rotary casting machine of the character described. the combination of a rotating drum and a casting pot having the acter described, a rotary casting drum, means for rotating the drum, a metal casting pot suspended with the undersurface of the pot in cooperative metal casting relation to the drum surface, said pot having a narrow slot formed in the bottom thereof extending transversely of the drum surface, the metal inlet end of said pot extending above the bottom of the interior of the pot and the pot having heat conducting ribs extending from an exterior wall to the bottom wall thereof.

12. A rotary casting machine of the character described, the combination of a rotating drum adapted to have molten metal discharged onto the circumferential surface thereof, a metal casting pot suspended in cooperative casting relation with said drum surface, the bottom wall of the pot having a transverse pot formed therein in a thickened portion thereof whereby the metal extends below the inlet end of the slot.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

CLARENCE W. HAZELE'IT. 

